Eardrum protector



Feb. 4, 1941.

E. BAUM 2,230,738

EARDRUM PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 27, 1939 INVENTOR ah/dg flax/W ATTORNEYPatented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,230,738 EARDRUMPROTECTOR Edward Baum, Philadelphia, Pa. Application October 27, 1939,Serial No. 301,529

1 Claim.

In my prior Patent No. 1,344,935, of June 29, 1920, I described andbroadly claimed a novel eardrum protector.

My present invention, while employing some of the features of my priorpatent, has additional advantageous features of construction which Ihave found in practice to give new and improved results.

Many classes of people in their regular line of duty, such as soldiers,sailors, gunners, airplane pilots, riveters, divers, bathers and otherpersons, have their ears subjected to a bombardment of injurious,missile like sound vibrations caused by air disturbances emanating fromor incident to their occupations. This causes a gradual thickening andin some cases rupture of the ear drums and results in impaired hearingor deafness.

The object therefore of this invention is to devise a scientificallyconstructed and efiicient device which can be readily inserted andremoved by the user and will protect the ears from the action ofabnormal sound vibrations, and also prevent the entrance into the ear ofanything of an irritating or injurious nature.

With the foregoing in View, my invention comprehends a novel eardrumprotector which can be inserted in the external ear canal to exclude theentrance of air sound or concussional waves or convections into the earchannel, thereby protecting the organs of the car from excessive orinjurious vibrations and indirectly protecting the entire nervous systemfrom shock such as shell shock by severe sound vibrations.

It further comprehends a novel protector shaped to conform to the innerwalls of the ear comprising a hollow pneumatic body portion withflexible walls with an inner sound absorbing member, and with a.flexible flange portion at its outer end, and with pressure relievinggrooves at its forward bulbous end. The protector is of reduced diameterintermediate its ends so that it can contract or flex while beinginserted without creating injurious pressure, and will automaticallyexpand when in place to adjust itself to the meatus oi the user. Thecompression of air against the ear drum during insertion is prevented bythe grooves as the forward end of the protector.

It further comprehends a novel protector having a novel construction ofa flexible flange at its outer end and surrounding a grasping handlewhich is connected with the rear disc or plate which carries the soundabsorbing member.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter moreclearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claim.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of it, which, in practice,will 5 give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to beunderstood that this embodiment is typical only and the variousinstrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variouslyarranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the exactarrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein setforth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an eardrum protector embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the human ear with the protector inplace, and in perspective.

Figure 6 is a detail of a container with a pair of 20 protectorstherein.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing:

The protector is preferably made of flexible or r elastic material suchas rubber, so that it can be molded to form an integral structure.

I designates the body portion which is bulbous or rounded at its forwardend as at 2 and provided with longitudinally extending,circumferentially spaced grooves 3, which serve as drainage 30 channelsand to relieve compression of air when the protector is being inserted.

The body portion has a reduced neck 4, which is closed by a flexible orelastic diaphragm 5, to which a handle 6 is connected. The diaphragm 355 has also connected with it a flexible but relatively stiff rod 1,which acts as a sound absorbing member and terminates a desired distancefrom the front end of the body portion in a hall shaped portion. 40

The rear end of the body portion is provided with an outwardly flaring,flexible flange 8 having slots 9 and ID with the marginal portions atthe sides of the slots projected inwardly.

The diaphragm, handle and sound absorbing 45 member are preferablyformed in one piece and the diaphragm is then vulcanized to the bodyportion and contributes with the body portion to form an internalchamber with air contained therein. 50

In my prior patent, the forward end of the body portion had a thick wallbut I have found that a thin wall substantially of the same thickness asthe rest of the body portion gives better results as it can betterconform to the contour 55 of the juxtaposed portions of the ear canal.The outer flange may be thinner than the wall of the body portion.

The ear canal H is of reduced diameter at l2, and flares outwardly at I3, see Figure 5, the drum being shown at [4.

In Figure 6 I have shown a container I5 for receiving a pair of ear drumprotectors, the container being contracted :at [6, so that it can beclipped to a display easel or other support. The protectors are sold inpairs connected by a string 11.

The manner in which my novel eardrum protector is used will now beclearly understood by those skilled in this art. The protector is heldby the handle 6 and inserted into the ear canal. The sound absorbingmember 1, moves forward to engage the inner Wall of the forward end ofthe body portion which contracts as it passes through the portion I2 ofreduced diameter of the ear canal. The \air between the end 2 and theeardrum l4 passes out through the grooves 3. The internal air pressurein the chamber of the body portion causes the latter to assume thecontour, of the juxtaposed wall of the ear canal. The segmental flange 8engages the wall of the ear canalat its outer end without creating anuncomfortable or painful pressure.

The diaphragm 5, the shock absorbing member 6, and the body portion I,effectively prevent injury to the eardrum or to the inner ear.

I have found in practice that the use of the segmental flange 8 is ofmarked advantage, since it closely fits the wall of the ear at theentrance end of the ear canal and prevents abnormal sound vibrationspassing into the ear canal along the outer face of the body portion. Italso enables one to use the same size of protector with ears having theear canal of different dimensions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

An eardrum protector comprising an elongated hollow body portion forming:an air chamber, of reduced diameter intermediate its ends andterminating at its forward end in a bulb having a thin wall provided inits outer periphery with longitudinally extending, circumierentiallyspaced grooves forming ventilating channels to prevent compression onthe eardrum when the protector is inserted into the ear canal and toprevent suction on the eardrum when the proteotor is withdrawn from theear canal, a diaphragm sealing the rear end of said air chamber,

' a sound absorbing member extending from said diaphragm into saidchamber, a flange flaring outwardly from the body portion, and a handlefor said diaphragm.

EDWARD BAUM.

